Temperature compensation dielectric ceramic compositions that have been conventionally used are composed mainly of titanium oxide. In producing small-sized, large capacity temperature compensation ceramic capacitors using these conventional compositions, the electrodes are printed on green sheets. The green sheets are then superposed with each electrode separated by a green sheet, thereby producing a laminated body. This laminated body is then heat-pressed and fired in air at 1,200.degree. to 1,400.degree. C. to produce a monolithic capacitor.
In the monolithic capacitor described above, platinum or platinum-palladium alloys have been used as the electrode materials since they do not react with the dielectric ceramic compositions and are not oxidized even if fired in air at temperatures as high as 1,200.degree. to 1,400.degree. C. These metals, however, are expensive, and the cost of the electrode material occupies from 30 to 50% of the total production cost. Thus, the electrode material has constituted a serious obstacle to the production of inexpensive monolithic capacitors.
Substitution of inexpensive base metals such as nickel for the above expensive electrode materials is known. These metals, however, are oxidized when fired in air. Therefore, when these metals are used, firing must be carried out in a reducing atmosphere.
However, when conventional dielectric ceramic materials are fired in a reducing atmosphere, titanium oxide (TiO.sub.2), rare earth oxides and the like are reduced. This leads to a serious reduction in electrical characteristics, such as insulation resistance and dielectric loss. As a result, the capacitor cannot be used for practical purpose.
In order to overcome the above problem, Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 37081/82 and 39001/82 disclose ceramic compositions composed mainly of calcium zirconate, which, even if fired in an inert or reducing atmosphere, retain a specific resistance of more than 10.sup.12 .OMEGA..multidot.cm and a Q value of more than 3,000.
These compositions, however, have temperature coefficient of dielectric constant of up to +70 ppm/.degree.C., but not the temperature coefficient of dielectric constant of up to +100 ppm/.degree.C., especially up to +120 ppm/.degree.C. at the operating temperatures generally encountered by temperature compensation ceramic capacitors. Furthermore, the compositions have a disadvantage in that sintering stability is poor; i.e., they can be fired only within the narrow temperature range of from 1,350.degree. to 1,380.degree. C.